Wojas (Poland)

Introduction: Whiplash injuries are one of the most prevalent consequences of traffic collisions and are associated with a wide range of conditions referred to as whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). These manifestations are most commonly associated with pain and limited mobility of the cervical spine. A growing number of research indicates that these injuries may also impair the function of the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), thereby contributing to the development of their subsequent disorders. The aim of the study: The objective of the study was to discuss the correlations and dependency between whiplash injury and temporomandibular joint function. Acquiring this knowledge enables specialists to make precise diagnoses and implement appropriate therapeutic procedures, thereby reducing the risk of misdiagnosis or misdiagnosis omissions. Materials and methods: The following literature review provides a comprehensive discussion of the association between whiplash injuries and temporomandibular joint function. In December 2025, an extensive search of prominent electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar) was undertaken in order to identify relevant published studies on this subject. Conclusions: Studies indicate that whiplash injury may impair TMJ function and contribute to the development of TMJ disorders. The mechanisms underlying this relationship may be functional or neurophysiological in nature, but remain under investigation.Symptoms may be transient or persist long-term for several years, underscoring the necessity for a holistic diagnosis and an interdisciplinary therapeutic approach in patients after whiplash injury.

BackgroundThis paper is an attempt to estimate the percentage of erroneously identified taxa in ethnographic studies concerning the use of plants and to propose a code for recording credibility of identification in historical ethnobotany publications.MethodsA sample of Polish-language ethnobotanical literature (45 published sources from 1874-2005) and four collections of voucher specimens (from 1894-1975) were analyzed. Errors were detected in the publications by comparing the data with existing knowledge on the distribution of plant names and species ranges. The voucher specimens were re-examined.A one-letter code was invented for quick identification of the credibility of data published in lists of species compiled from historical or ethnographic sources, according to the source of identification: voucher specimen, Latin binominal, botanical expert, obvious widespread name, folk name, mode of use, range, physical description or photograph. To test the use of the code an up-to-date list of wild food plants used in Poland was made.ResultsA significant difference between the ratio of mistakes in the voucher specimen collections and the ratio of detectable mistakes in the studies without herbarium documentation was found. At least 2.3% of taxa in the publications were identified erroneously (mean rate was 6.2% per publication), and in half of these mistakes even the genus was not correct. As many as 10.0% of voucher specimens (on average 9.2% per collection) were originally erroneously identified, but three quarters of the identification mistakes remained within-genus.The species of the genera Thymus, Rumex and Rubus were most often confused within the genus.Not all of the invented credibility codes were used in the list of wild food plants, but they may be useful for other researchers. The most often used codes were the ones signifying identification by: voucher specimen, botanical expert and by a common name used throughout the country.ConclusionsThe results of this study support the rigorous use of voucher specimens in ethnobotany, although they also reveal a relatively high percentage of misidentified taxa in the specimens studied.The invented credibility coding system may become a useful tool for communication between historical ethnobotanists, particularly in creating larger databases.